Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 109 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Triangles stay put): Triangles are rigid; trusses, towers and frames use them. A pin-jointed frame with n sides needs n − 3 corner-to-corner braces; a row of n triangles uses 2n + 1 straws. Arches squeeze (compression); beams span gaps; domes are arches turned round in a circle.

1. 1.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
5. 5.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.🔺 A flat frame has 4 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
7. 7.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
10. 10.🔺 A flat frame has 9 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
13. 13.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
15. 15.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
18. 18.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
20. 20.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
22. 22.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
24. 24.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
27. 27.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
28. 28.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
29. 29.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
30. 30.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
34. 34.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
36. 36.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
38. 38.🔺 A frame shaped like a triangle is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
39. 39.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid

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